By Ruslan Chikov

Looks like a long-suffering disaster, which the Klitschko vs. Povetkin showdown turned out to be, is nearing its unpleasant end. According to RTL, IBF #1 mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (19-0, 14 KOs) has missed a designated official presser tonight at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt-am-Mein, and the unified IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs) is starting looking for a fresh replacement.

“We’ve been forcing Povetkin to attend this presser for two weeks”, said displeased Wladimir to sport.de. “We failed. Had he wanted this fight he should have demonstrated some desire and readiness; at least by visiting this meeting”.  

Berndt Boente, KMG managing director, was even more angered, “We received a refusal at 11:50 PM yesterday. He has supposedly caught a maxillary sinusitis. So he can train but he cannot fly over here to visit this presser. We have been asking him to attend this press conference for two weeks but, no, he is too busy training overseas, in the USA. It’s eight weeks before a fight and he is already taking his part in sparring sessions. It looks ridiculous. For the first time in Klitschko’s career somebody fails to visit [press conference] eight weeks before a contest is set to occur. His team asked us about 5-star hotels, business class air tickets, and we surely met these obvious requirements. He attended Tua-Barrett fight on Saturday; maybe that’s just a specific turbo-infection; maybe American air-conditioners are so effective. I don’t know. This guy should be more cautious not to get more inflammations or not to stumble over snags. It’s highly unprofessional”.

“IBF should demote Alexander Povetkin, so that he shouldn’t be able to fight on Sep. 11. Maybe it’s all about 2 million USD? Povetkin can be replaced by Samuel Peter. We shall see how IBF will act”, continued Boente. “It’ll be a terrific show and I promise another knockout whoever my opponent will be”, told Wladimir.